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A report released from the state Office of Insurance Regulation indicates that the growth of fraud in personal-injury protection, or PIP, claims has been halted. Legislators appear unlikely to change a law designed to reduce fraud in the state's "no-fault" auto insurance system. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater hopes they continue to show patience. Atwater said the 2012 plan to improve the system is backed by a report released Monday by the state Office of Insurance Regulation. The report indicated that the growth of fraud in personal-injury protection, or PIP, claims has been halted. "The Legislature, I'm hoping, will give this time and see how...

Related "David Simmons" Articles

A report released from the state Office of Insurance Regulation indicates that the growth of fraud in personal-injury protection, or PIP, claims has been halted.
Legislators appear unlikely to change a law designed to reduce fraud in the state's...

During their two debates, Charlie Crist and Rick Scott competed to sound like the bigger friend of Florida families, but they never discussed a problem facing almost all Florida families — costly auto insurance.
In August, BankRate.com reported that only...

Kevin Diatezua wasn't sure what he wanted to study when he transferred to the University of Central Florida."I wanted to take a little taste of everything before I made a definite decision," said Diatezua, 24. "I was under the impression...

Compassion won out over rhetorical resistance when lawmakers in the final hours of the final day of the state’s annual legislative session agreed to allow some illegal immigrants to obtain law licenses from the Florida Bar.
The matter now goes to Gov....

Flush with cash in state coffers, Florida lawmakers are pouring money into cleaning the mucky, polluted waters surrounding the Everglades.
But the Legislature is poised to adjourn May 2 without addressing some of the most persistent polluters of...

TALLAHASSEE -- A Tallahassee judge has temporarily banned part of a massive auto insurance overhaul passed by the Legislature in an attempt to drive down personal injury protection rates.Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis issued the ban on a part of the...

TALLAHASSEE -- On the eve of a Senate vote to dramatically overhaul Citizens' Property Insurance by letting rates go up and trying to shift more policies to the private market, consumer advocate came out against the bill essentially saying the bad...

TALLAHASSEE -- Could a special session on no-fault auto insurance be in the works?
Maybe.
Senate Banking and Insurance Chairman David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, told the Sun-Sentinel that should an appeals court strike down reforms the state made...

First elected to the Florida Legislature in 2000, Republican Andy Gardiner of Orlando will spend his final two years in the state Capitol as the Senate's president. Gardiner and the House's top officer, Republican Steve Crisafulli of Merritt Island,...

Orange County leaders are pushing to close what they call a troubling loophole in Florida law that allows people arrested on domestic-violence charges to harass and threaten their alleged victims from jail — often pressuring them into dropping charges.
...

The Florida Legislature likely will take up a funding plan for the Orlando City Lions’ soccer stadium and three other sport venues, but it might wind up that only three of the four get funding, state Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs said Monday.
...

A bill sponsored by state Rep. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, that would provide secrecy for applicants in the early stages of searches to fill high-ranking college and university jobs easily passed a Senate committee this week.
The Senate Higher Education...

This weekend in local public-affairs programming:
Matt Austin takes "Flashpoint" to Daytona Beach to interview Lesa France Kennedy, granddaughter of Bill France Sr., founder of NASCAR. She is the CEO of International Speedway Corp. and vice...

With all the measures in which the Sunshine State nationally lags, we'd be guilty of a barefaced whopper if we feigned shock that Florida pulls up the rear in highway safety. Even so, it's appalling we were among the worst states in the yearly Advocates...

TALLAHASSEE — Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, left open the possibility Wednesday that his chamber will consider an expansion of health coverage for low-income Floridians.
Gardiner described as "intriguing" a proposal that would...

Police-behavior training
The priority of every police department must be to strive to ensure that the percentage of officers of color is proportional to the population of color in the community they police. Understanding the experiences of the local...

TALLAHASSEE – When Gov. Rick Scott is sworn in for a second term Tuesday, he'll stick to his campaign-themed goals to continue cutting taxes and regulations and to compete for new companies for Florida.
There will be no controversial pledges to create...

TALLAHASSEE — Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater hopes lawmakers continue to show patience with a 2012 law designed to reduce fraud in the state's "no-fault" auto-insurance system.
And he may get his wish, as legislators don't...

TALLAHASSEE – Florida environmentalists want lawmakers to steer $80 million a year into protecting Florida’s springs and $150 million into buying new environmentally threatened landscapes.
But dividing $757.7 million next year between competing...